The Account Director (or Supervisor) vs. Account Executives - who does what.
While the account executives and account coordinators have much of the day-to-day contact with the client, the account supervisor is responsible for the relationship between the agency and the client. The account supervisor’s main goal is to review all strategic and media decisions formulated by the various agency departments before delivery to the client and to review the creative concepts as to whether they meet the creative brief and the strategic goals and marketing plan of the client.
The account supervisor manages all of the assigned account executives and account coordinators/assistants to their accounts. From a client view, the account supervisor analyzes the client’s requests and marketing plan to produce a coherent, focused and most cost-effective/value-added communications plan that the agency can provide. This includes gathering client or agency prepared research, competitive analysis and existing marketing plans or a structure client/agency Q & A session and staying on top of products and markets in which the client operates.
From an agency viewpoint, the account supervisor acts as the main spokesperson for the agency,
overseeing the execution of the approved communication programs, while identifying new business opportunities with the existing clients.
Other duties can include;
Presents and sells agency recommended communication plans, creative concepts and media plans to the client.
Maintaining direct, day-to-day client contact.
Receive client briefs.
Inconjunction with the account executives briefs creative, media, PR staff.
Provide clients with budgets and estimate updates.
Assists in client billing process and account receivables.
Writes client contact reports.
Prepares monthly revenue forecasts.
Account Executives
Team members have the primary client contact the “day-to-day” project management of the assigned accounts. The work with all of the agency departments to move projects through the agency. For example, they may meet with the creative director to review the creative issues, with the pr director concerning publicity, with the traffic department concerning scheduling and traffic.
They are responsible for gathering information on clients, products, and competition needed for the agency backgrounders and start-up meetings.
Duties might include;
Updating information pertinent to the status of all jobs, producing the client status report.
Produce timely contact reports.
Produce and distribute job requests and change orders.
Makes sure the sign-off of various agency documents including creative blueprints & estimates.
Meet with the senior management group to inform them of all client activities.
Account Coordinator or Assistant Account Executives
The account coordinators provide administrative support and back-up for account services.
They are responsible for supporting the account group which may include;
Setting up meetings.
Setting up or conducting research.
Developing presentations from materials provided
Following up on jobs and projects internally and externally when requested.
Make travel arrangements, provide shipping instructions.
Set up internal and external meetings.